The Legislature must find a way to fully fund the loss of revenues to schools and municipalities caused by the elimination of the personal property tax, a tax on business equipment that is assessed and collected by local governments. While the Legislature was quick to cut the PPT, it has not come up with a suitable plan to replace the loss revenues to local schools and governments. Schools and municipalities will be feeling the loss of revenues from real property taxes for years; failure to replace the PPT revenues will exacerbate this hardship.

Barry L. Brickner

Farmington Hills

The Michigan Legislature in 2014 should: 1) Become a part-time Legislature 2) Cut lawmaker pay and benefits to part-time status 3) Dismantle the Education Achievement Authority and return the schools to Detroit Public Schools. 4) Work on issues related to job creation 5) Stay out of social and personal issues of Michigan citizens.

Laura Black

Dearborn

Restore some sanity to discussions of public education.

Ken Jackson

Via Freep.com

Become part-time.

Rick Devisch

Via Freep.com

Bring back the consumer pricing law (which required retailers to show the price of goods).

Jeffrey Miller

Via Freep.com

Deal with auto insurance rates.

Rich Grace

Via Freep.com

Let’s look at the state in the Midwest with the lowest unemployment rate and highest per capita income and start following its policies. That would be Minnesota.

David Waymire

Via Freep.com

Find out what Scott Walker is doing in Wisconsin. Do that.

Mark Jansen

Via Freep.com

Passing school vouchers should be a top priority.

Earl Tucker

Via Freep.com

Get started on the New International Trade Crossing. This will be a huge jolt for the region’s economy.

Zef Rasi

Detroit

Pass a bill to outlaw lobbying.

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Jim Pabst

Via Freep.com

Improve primary and secondary education and, if they are serious, how it is funded must change.

Stephen Banicki

Via Freep.com

1) Pass fair and consistent funding for roads. Tying the revenue to vehicle registrations is regressive and ignores the fact that lots of interstate trucks are not registered in Michigan.

2) Take a rest from further “reforming” of education. Schools need time to digest and figure out the numerous reforms already enacted.

5) Respect voters by letting them vote. Recent petitions enacted as law without a vote of the citizenry represent minority rule.

Gregory Campbell

Hancock

Restore funding for room and board for hospice patients covered by Medicaid, enabling them to spend their last days in hospice-owned residences, after funding for these costs for Medicaid-eligible patients was cut.

Mary Anne Gorman

Harbor Hospice

Muskegon

Pass a law that creates harsher penalties for removing copper and other items from buildings, which in turn creates blight, and find a way to fund Gov. Rick Snyder’s plan for fixing the roads. Michigan roads have been in desperate need of repair for years.

This would help the economy grow and make it more enticing for businesses and people to move here.

Michael A. Soviak

Grosse Pointe Woods

1) Infrastructure: The immediate benefit is increased employment in the construction sector within the state. More significant, however, is the role that increased infrastructure investment would play in placing the state’s leading industries in a more competitive and productive position.

2) Urban renewal: Michigan needs to focus on strategies to support growth and development within the state’s urban centers. This needs to be done to retain talent in the state. The talent drain inhibits Michigan from reaching its full economic potential and essentially subsidizes education for the states that are gaining our graduates.